Yesterday, I received a phonecall and was was asked the following question by a member who is charging his magnets using the method I used in 2010. www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/118802/159978.html
He connected (6) 6 volt batteries up for the procedure, located the N magnet and positioned it properly and wired the positive wire to the mag post. When he touched the negative wire to the block, he could hear a distinct metallic clang inside the engine and since he did not have the hogshead off, could only assume that it was the magnet making contact with the mag coil plate.
I told him I do not recall hearing this sound when I did mine but I had all new bearings poured and the engine was very tight.
Can any one speculate on what he was hearing each time he touched the negative to the block and why???
Thank you.
Jim Patrick
Jim,
If the mag plate is relatively close to the magnets on the bottom of the mag plate it could easily flex the mag plate enough to make contact with the magnets when power is applied. As long as the magnetic force of the magnets without power applied is less then magnetic force with power applied it should work fine.
If it happens to be contacting in areas other then the bottom of the mag were the mag plate will not flex, that could be a major problem with end play in the crank.
Jim
How much endplay does he have in his crank? He may be pulling the flywheel towards the coils with all that magnetism. Have someone watch the front pulley when he touches the ground to the block
Sounds like time for a re worked rear main cap at the least. KGB
Could it be that there is something metal lying at the bottom of the oil pan that the magneto ring could pick up when charged? Perhaps a long forgotten band nut?
Either way, it is most certainly something that warrants further investigation.
Often the problem is not the magnets but the end play that makes the Mag weak. They all move a bit when the connection is made but if there is a lot of end play causing the movement charging the magnets will not be much help. I had a similar problem and used one of those front pulley shims to take up the end play temporarily until I could pull the engine. That was more than 5 years ago and the mag is still running strong.